Magic’s latest Universes Beyond release brings the heroes in a half shell to the Magic: The Gathering table. It’s loud, nostalgic, and packed with flavour — and like any good Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover, it’s all about teamwork. Players can pick their favourite Turtle, sleeve them up, build a deck around them, and dive straight into the action. Cowabunga, dude!
But here’s the thing about Magic: there isn’t just one way to play.
There are many formats, each with their own deck building rules, card pools, power levels, and social expectations. Some are tight and competitive. Others are chaotic and multiplayer. And a few are about cracking packs and building on the fly. With so many options, choosing a format can feel a bit like choosing what to order at a pizza joint.
With all of that in mind: here’s our list of what the most popular formats would be if they were slices on the table.
Or you can choose your pizza type below and see what you get.
Meatlovers
Hawaiian
Supreme
Build-Your-Own
Pepperoni
The Lot
Commander (EDH): Meatlovers
Commander is a 100-card singleton format built around one legendary creature that sits in your command zone. Most games are four-player pods, and politics matter as much as your cards.
It’s the format for big turns, big creatures, and long games, like a meatlovers pizza stacked with everything to keep your hunger satisfied.
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Standard: Hawaiian
Standard only uses the most recent sets and rotates on a set schedule. The card pool is smaller, so the top decks are well known and heavily tested. But in casual play, barely anyone plays it these days, finding a game can be tricky.
Standard is just like a Hawaiian, you either love it or you hate it.
Modern: Supreme
Modern is non-rotating and pulls from a large pool of sets going back years. The power level is higher, and games can swing fast if you’re not ready.
Like a supreme, it’s layered and rewards players who know exactly what they’re getting.
Booster Draft: Build-Your-Own
In Draft, players open packs, pick one card at a time, and pass the rest around the table. Once the drafting is done, you build a 40-card deck from what you chose.
It’s like choosing your toppings as you go, shaping the final result in real time.
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Pauper: Pepperoni
Pauper only allows cards that have been printed at common rarity. Decks are made up of a minimum of 60 cards, with no more than four of the same card. They’re cheaper to build, but the gameplay is still tight and efficient.
Like a pepperoni, it looks simple on the surface, but when the base ingredients are good, it’s hard to beat.
Vintage: The Lot
Vintage allows almost every card ever printed, with only a short restricted list. That means turn-one plays that feel unfair and games that can end before they really begin.
Like The Lot, it’s stacked with every ingredient in the kitchen. It’s loaded, unapologetic, and not trying to be subtle.
However you like to play, the new TMNT set gives you tools to jump in. Whether you’re building around your favourite Turtle in Commander or cracking packs at a pre-release, there’s something here for every player.
New Ways To Play — Turtle Team Up Is Radical!
If you’re looking for a ready-made entry point, the new “Turtle Team Up” box makes it easy to grab your crew and hit the table straight away.
Designed as a ready-to-play experience, it leans into the crossover theme with pre-constructed decks that highlight the personalities and mechanics of the Turtles. It’s also only about $60 and includes four prebuilt decks — not bad!
It works as a great jumping-on point to introduce newer players to the game. It’s also an easy way for established groups to put aside their differences and unite against a common enemy.
I recently jumped into a game at an MTG preview night (thanks for the invite Wizards) and — despite three board wipes in a row — it was a good laugh with friends, both new and old.
However you slice it, this new set proves one thing: Magic can cater for even the fussiest of taste buds!
Product of the latest set was provided to Quest Daily for the purpose of this article.
